Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-12
HOW ABOUT THOSE BONDS?

Disdgursd, But Still IN the Ring:s
Several weeks ago the bondsmen o
our defaulting county treasurer wer
Summoned at county expense, at tn
instance of the board of commissioners
to meet at the county seat and hear tn
anwelcome news of the pending stu
alton. +;
Both, this old bcndsmen who were OF
Mr.. Williams first bond, for the tern
of 1885 and 1886, as well as the new
ones, who vouched for his secone
term of Office, were summoned, which
action was explained by the alleged
fact that Mr.. Williams was already
some thousands of dollars behind al
the end of his f,st term. Therefore
the summoning Of the old bondsmen.
| II the situation is as above described,
which we have from hear-say, as we
have not examined the treasurer'sbooks
ourselves, and which we believe to be
the truth, although the commissioners
proceedings published throw mo: light
whatever on this affair, the old bonds
men would be holding for whatever the
deficiency would figure up to January
list, 1857, which: it is supposed embraces
the greater bulk of the money lost!
Under the'old rule of "irst come, first
served'' the old bond could evidently
not be hashed in with the'new bond on
a pro rata basis, and it would have to
be satisfied first. same as il Mr.. Will
liamshad stepped out of Office at the
expiration of his first term, and the de-
ticiency had now been discovered, and
it any private property Of the absconder
could be found available, it Would evil
IDENTIFY have to be applied toward salts
flying the indebtedness incurred during
the said first term Of Office, and vouch-
ed for by the old bond, until either the
property or the indebtedness gave out.
Besides finding exceeding $415 cash
in bank, and $1S9 cash in safe, the CON-
missioners also attached several hun
dred dollars worth Of personal property
found, belonging to Mr.. Williams.
This property probably must go first
toward psatisfying the old calamity,
leaving it to the old bondsmen to make
up the difference that may remain be-
tween the assests and liabilities of the
the first term. II TIE - '
AS regards the second term, as we'll
as clear insight into the whole affair,
there is big pile Of debris to be clear
ed away first, before the animal can
squarely be got at, - u
We believe the county board, who
started on this delicate job once, found
themselves getting as deep into the
mud as the bondsmen are in the mire,
besides Gllustrativsly speaking) it
scented distinctly of skunk around the
premises, and they held their breath,
and after making healthy "draw" on
the county treasury themselves, for
time and labor wasted in making an
investigation, the result of which is
known to nobody, they went home, Sic
lently disgusted.
Considerable blame is attached by
some to the commissioners for taking
hold of the treasurer's office themselves,
instead of turning it into the custody
Of the sheriff. It is believed that the
bondsmen will claim this procedure it,
legal and make it a point Of defense
against the county, While this action
OF the commissioners does not appear
to have been strictly according to law.
the hondsmen would, in order to make
a strong point of it, probably be obliged
to prove in addition that the commits
sioners have themselves defrauded the
county treasury during the time they
were running it. All reasonable doubts
arising here would benefit the commits
sioners.
What is generally disliked, however,
is, that the result Of the investigation
of the treasurer's business has not been
published in detail, giving foundation
for the fear that there is a anigger in
the fence''.
REST FOR THE WEARY.
Souaro1 finoc DC MO u,oro ,,ou,,o;-c